Virus-like particles (VLPs) can serve as nanocarriers for targeted delivery of diagnostics and therapeutics regimes, such as DNA/RNA and a variety of chemotherapeutics. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an enteric-transmitted virus that causes acute liver inflammation in humans. HEV virus-like particles (HEV VLPs) are capsid protein icosahedral cages that can be produced by expression of the major capsid protein HEV Open Reading Frame 2 (ORF2) in a eukaryotic expression system. HEV VLPs are stable in acid and proteolytic environments, a feature that is required for the natural transmission route of HEV. Thus, HEV VLPs represent a promising nano-carrier that can be exploited, e.g., for chemotherapeutic delivery, vaccination, and/or imaging.
However, in order to fulfill their promise as nano-carriers, there remains a need to develop HEV VLPs that retain their stability in acid and proteolytic environments, as well as exhibit altered VLP-surface functionality. For example, there remains a need to develop HEV VLPs that can be directed to target cells or tissue-types through surface exposed targeting moieties. The present invention fulfills this and other related needs.